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锡 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
锡
xī
tin; to bestow, to confer
HSK 7, ns, 13 strokes, radical 钅, rank #10526, Very Hard
锡
xī
tin (chemistry)
HSK 7, unknown, 13 strokes, radical 钅, rank #10526, Very Hard
锡
xī
to grant
HSK 7, unknown, 13 strokes, radical 钅, rank #10526, Very Hard
锡
xī
Taiwan pr. [xi2]
HSK 7, unknown, 13 strokes, radical 钅, rank #10526, Very Hard
xī(xi1)xi T1
1tin; to bestow, to confer
2tin (chemistry)
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March 24, 2026
锡(錫)xī(xi1)
The character 锡 (xī) primarily means 'tin,' a chemical element often used in alloys and coatings. It can also be used in contexts related to bestowing or conferring something, such as honors or gifts. In some regions, it may be pronounced as [xi2], which can lead to confusion in terms of meaning and usage.
Strokes13Radical钅Frequency#10526DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, tin has historical significance in metallurgy and is often associated with craftsmanship in traditional utensils and decorations. It symbolizes durability and value in certain contexts.
Memory tip
Imagine a shiny tin can that reflects light in a way that seems to confer special properties to whatever is inside it. The character 锡 is composed of the metal radical '金' (metal) at the bottom, indicating its connection to metals like tin, while the top part resembles a fancy hat, suggesting the act of bestowing or conferring something valuable.
Meanings of 锡
xī(xi1)
1tin; to bestow, to confer
2tin (chemistry)
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 锡 means.
About 锡
锡Simplified
錫Traditional
13Strokes
钅Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 锡
Podcast: 锡
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AI study notes for 锡
Usage Notes
When using 锡 to mean 'tin,' ensure you're in a context related to materials or chemistry. Be careful with pronunciation, as the tone 'xī' (first tone) is critical for the correct meaning, especially in Taiwan where 'xi2' might be used instead. Common collocations include 锡合金 (tin alloy) and 锡制品 (tin products).
HSK Study Tips
While 锡 is not part of the HSK curriculum, it relates to the study of materials and chemistry terms, which are common in higher HSK levels. Students should focus on its usage in scientific contexts and connect it to other metal-related vocabulary.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 锡 with similar-sounding characters, leading to mispronunciations like 'xi' (neutral tone) instead of 'xī' (first tone). Another mistake is using 锡 in non-technical contexts where it may not apply, such as everyday conversation without relevance to tin or conferring.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 锡
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Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 锡 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
锡 = 钅 + 易. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 锡
IDS Structure⿰钅易
锡Full character
=
钅jin1
left
易Yi4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 锡?
How to say tin; to bestow, to confer in Chinese
“tin; to bestow, to confer” in Chinese is锡xī
The character 锡 (xī) primarily means 'tin,' a chemical element often used in alloys and coatings. It can also be used in contexts related to bestowing or conferring something, such as honors or gifts. In some regions, it may be pronounced as [xi2], which can lead to confusion in terms of meaning and usage.
When to use 锡
When using 锡 to mean 'tin,' ensure you're in a context related to materials or chemistry. Be careful with pronunciation, as the tone 'xī' (first tone) is critical for the correct meaning, especially in Taiwan where 'xi2' might be used instead. Common collocations include 锡合金 (tin alloy) and 锡制品 (tin products).
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 锡 with similar-sounding characters, leading to mispronunciations like 'xi' (neutral tone) instead of 'xī' (first tone). Another mistake is using 锡 in non-technical contexts where it may not apply, such as everyday conversation without relevance to tin or conferring.
Write 锡
锡
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Practice writing 锡 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 锡
锡 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
他写了几首诗。____德告诉他那几首诗都不押韵。
He had written a few poems. Sid told him they didn't scan.
Example sentences for 锡 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他写了几首诗。锡德告诉他那几首诗都不押韵。
tā xiě le jǐ shǒu shī。 xī dé gàosu tā nà jǐ shǒu shī dōu bù yāyùn。
He had written a few poems. Sid told him they didn't scan.
2
她给孩子脱下衣服，然后把她放进锡铁澡盆里。
tā gěi háizi tuō xià yīfu， ránhòu bǎ tā fàng jìn xī tiě zǎo pén lǐ。
She undressed the child before putting her in the tin bath.
3
锡西不仅驼背，而且又矮又胖。
xī xī bùjǐn tuó bēi， érqiě yòu ǎi yòu pán。
Cissie was round-shouldered and dumpy.
4
1358年击败锡耶纳之后佩鲁贾的影响力达到了顶峰。
1358 nián jībài xī yē nà zhīhòu pèi Lǔ gǔ de yǐngxiǎng lì dádào le dǐng fēng。
The zenith of Perugia'sinfluence came with the defeat of Siena in
5
请看这座萨卢斯蒂奥·班迪尼的雕像，他是一位杰出的锡耶纳人。
qǐng kàn zhè zuò sà lú Sī dì ào· bān dí ní de diāoxiàng， tā shì yī wèi jiéchū de xī yē nà rén。
Note the statue to Sallustio Bandini, a prominent Sienese.
